Worried About Sheets
Ben Sheets has always been loaded with talent. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)
BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR
Today, after getting out from yet another riveting shift at Best Buy, I heard an interesting little tidbit on the 20/20 update that WFAN provides. Apparently, the Mets have informed Ben Sheets that they are interested in his services, but I get worried at the mention of his name.
Injuries. They have surrounded him recently, and the Mets are all to familiar with those kinds of injuries. With people’s jobs on the line, are they really sure that he is ready to go? I have no doubt that he still has the talent, but what would the Mets have to give up to get such a deal done? Personally, I think he will still be able to bait a team into giving him a multi-year contract. The talent is just too tempting. Whoever takes the jump will have him pitching in their rotation in 2009.
His 86-83 record in eight seasons really doesn’t do him justice. Most of the time he was playing on a Milwaukee team that was just downright atrocious. He still managed to post a 3.72 ERA during those eight seasons which separates him from the pack already.
What worries me is that Sheets has only hit the 200 inning plateau three times in his professional career, and he hasn’t done so since 2004.
The talent is still there, but is it going to be worth it for the Mets to take the risk? Only time will tell. What do you think?
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I’m in favor of signing him, but am very eager to be talked out of it. When healthy he has top of the rotation stuff. My problem: I felt the same way last year. He came really close to signing somewhere else (I think it was Texas) before he had to shut it down for the year (if you can call it that, as “the year” hadn’t even started yet). It goes without saying that he should get an incentive laden contract. If we can get him for a bargin price with high incentives I say without a doubt go for it. The problem is, some other team (like the team across the city in the Bronx) might be willing to guarratee way more then they should.
I am not an advocate of signing him because he is too much of an injury concern, but if it might lead to a jettisoning of Omar and Jerry. I am all for it!
That being said, I would not be upset if he was signed as I am sure the 20-30 starts we got would be well worth the money, or he would re-injure himself, causing the Mets to under-perform and then goodbye Jerry!
I don’t think he would want a multi-year deal if he really believes he can stay healthy for this season because if he pitches really good this year then he would be in line for a bigger, longer termed contract next offseason.